What a strange a short visit we had at Planet Raw, but it was most memorable.

Short version: Rude chief/owner pisses of new customers within 60 seconds of entering restaurant.

Long version:

We had a long drive from the San Mateo Coast up to Pleasant Hill, being so far away we had confirmed that morning that they were open ALL day (11am-8pm).

We arrived around 3pm, and as we got out of the car we joked that the place looked closed, but as we approached we could see people inside, so thought we were in luck.

I went inside to see if they were still open, and my wife waited outside and read the menu on the door.

As I entered a tall skinny blond woman, head down and putting on her coat was rushing out. She pushed by as I was asking the staff if they were still open. They explained the chef had left for the day and there was no food to be had, and I noted we'd driven a long way to try their food and was disappointed as we'd come so far.

So I turned around and followed the woman outside. My wife asked, were they open, and I said no - the chef had left for the day.

The woman could have kept on walking and we'd have been none the wiser who she was. BUT she just had to stop and turn and give us a piece of her mind, and how grateful we should be that she's working so hard for us all.

I was gob smacked; I couldn't believe how bitter she was and the tirade coming out of her mouth . All I had said to my wife is that the chef was leaving, nothing more.

She jumped in her car, slammed the door and drove off still steaming as she went. I could see the staff inside looking on, so I went back inside and asked who she was and why she was so mad. They were very apologetic and said she was the owner and was having another "bad day" and it wasn't out of the ordinary.

We never did try the food, and were encouraged to come back some other time - but why would we give such an arrogant b*tch our money.

I really don't understand why some people go into the service business. She obviously has zero respect for her customers and should think about a career change - but I suspect with her business acumen the place will fold very soon.

Great food and the people.are always friendly and welcoming. Lots of vegan options at the lunchtime buffet. But since the prices have gone up ($13 at the Friday buffet) they're not very competitive compared to the other great veggie places in the area, I could get two lunches at Merit Vegetarian for the same price as one here.

One of my favorite places to eat in the South Bay/Peninsula. Orange beef still one of my favs and they have this new dish called Black Pepper "Chicken" that's pretty good too. Service can be a bit spotty at times and if you're with a large group plan ahead as the space is tiny.

Probably my most favorite place to eat out at. Menu look virtually identical to Golden Era/Golden Lotus, which is no surprise as the owners are related - but the food just seems that much better here. Very high quality food. Big clean modern restaurant. Staff are super friendly, specially the owner. If you like GE you'll love this place. Close to Fry's Electronics for the geeks among you.
Fav dishes: Lemongrass tofu, Spicy Mongolian Chicken, Lotus Salad - and of course the vegan choc cake.

I'm vegan and so wanted to like this place, but it came up short on so many levels. Not sure where to start - Food was average to bad, a few of the potatoes in our curry dish had rotten spots that should have been caught. Prices were above average and portions small compared to similar restaurants (Golden Era/Merit.) Waitress was very annoying and hovered around us the whole time pretending to adjust table settings. But not once did she ask us how the food. was The place was dead the entire time we were there, music was at a low level so we could hear their kids running around playing in the restaurant and kitchen. They use weaved mats on the table and I cringe thinking of the germs they're harboring, especially as our new cutlery was resting on them. On top of all that they overcharged us on a few items. I will not be going back.

Chinatown really needs a nice veggie place, but Loving Hut sadly comes up short. Decor is nice and bright, but service was lacking/indifferent and the food wasn't great. We ordered the sample starter plate but it was bland and looked nothing like the menu photo. lemon grass dish was good, but no real veggies with it, and all it was was seasoned fake meat they bought in. The veggie stir fry was just okay, but over cooked. Best parts of the meal was the Black China which can be had at much better restaurants.

Palo Alto really needs a good veggie place, but sadly Loving Hut comes up short. Offerings are over priced with a limited selection, and no real kitchen to prepare freshly cooked meals to order. Mostly sandwiches and deli style foods.

Very nice addition to the Mission. Great decor and the food is tasty - I highly recommend the Spring Dosa. I much prefer Udupi over Dosa which is just down the street, as they're all veg and the restaurant doesn't feel as cramped.

Awesome food and the best service in town. Love the decor. Most everything on the menu is vegan or can be made vegan. Similar menu to Herbivores, but done much better. Hard to believe they've only been open less than a week and hitting the mark already. Will definitely be back for more.

Tasty and large portions. On the dry side and could do with extra sauce, being take out you'd not know to ask for more till it's too late, and the 'spicy' falafel really isn't spicy at all. Not so good for drop in/take-out if the weather is bad as they have no real store front or counter service. They're basically setup for delivery and expect you to stand on the street while you wait for your order.

Their food is a bit spicier than some Chinese restaurants. I recommend General's Beef (made with faux meat) if you like spicy foods. Really disappointed they claim to be vegan when they've been misleading people for a while about the Tofu "Cheese" Rolls.

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in the East Bay. Food is still good, but the prices keep going up, smaller portions and service has gone down hill. I still really like the fu young, eggplant claypot and the fake caramelized chicken.

Only been for lunch. The lunch special menu is very limited when it comes to vegans. Lots of eggs and dairy in things, like the egg rolls and soups. No alternatives or substitutions. So the lunch special deal isn't so special or money saving. Much prefer Garden Fresh for a quick lunch.

I've only had dinner there so far, but did try the sample plate (SriLankan Plate.) New place is very nice. Looks like a total remodel. Big step up from the old locations. I'd give them a 5 for the food, and 2.5 for service. Place is always busy, but they refuse to get enough good staff in to handle everything and the owner always seems in a bad mood or short with the clients. Food sometimes arrives cold due to overloaded staff. If they could figure out service this place would be a solid 5 because of the food.

Westernised/Californian 'authentic' Indian food. Space is a little cramped and I could imagine that having more than 3 people on their 4 person tables would be a problem. I really enjoyed the food and service was very good.

One of my fav south bay restaurants. Great deal on the buffett lunch at $9. Always a line out the door, but it moves pretty fast. Food is taste, but not overly spicey. Very sparse utilitarian decor and great service. Definitely not the place to take a date or anything - but great for a casual lunch with friends.

I had high expectations going to GE2, but sadly they didn't not live up to the original. Maybe it's because it's new, but you'd think they would have some of the big sellers on the menu like the Fu Yung. Service was better than the orig. location, but language is still an issue and they get confused easily. They also recommended some real bad 'specials' that really shouldn't be on offer. Sweet and Sour 'Chicken' was not crunchy at all, just soggy doughy. Not going to rush back, but will try again once I've heard they've ironed out the kinks.

My summer 2006 update. Still has great burgers and extensive menu with many vegan options. But the garlic fries are a must try along with the vanilla peanut butter shake. Between them they're a meal. Very "Santa Cruz" and worth a visit. Super friendly staff that are very attentive and fill water often - which is lacking at many restaurants these days.

Very small menu, but it is a cafe after all. Tasty sandwiches, a tad on the expensive side for portion size and a little disappointed that the black china cake was so expensive considering they make it themselves. Can be found in other local establishments for a few dollars less. They also only had two coffee options (3 if you include espresso), and the soy milk used sadly curdled/separated in the coffee. They've got a great job on the decor/both inside and out given such a small space. I can see it being rather cold or snug in the winter months.

Menu only has a few vegan options, and vegetarian options are said to contain fish. So not a good start. 3 of us got the Monk's Delight, and mine came out about half the size. They really didnt want to fix it, but finally did. Food was average. Very loud and small tables. Service okay, but very keen to get people thru quickly.

Fantastic food and a great addition to the Valencia Vegan Corridor (TM). Menu looks identical to the Berkeley location, but the space is much bigger. Would be good if they could adjust/replace the over bright fluorescent lights. Definitely on my new fav list and will return soon and often.

I really want to like all of the Cafe Gratitude. Food is great, not too expensive, tasty, prompt service. Warm and inviting locations etc. etc., but the pretentious and totally false attitude of the company and staff stops me from making this a regular hang-out.

Large portions. Good quality home-style cooking. Non-vegan items clearly marked. The decor/atmosphere is not very good though. Feels very 70's and cafeteria style - cold and uninviting. I had the 'small' Bo Thai, which is twice the size of an average dinner at most places.

Food is very tasty and wholesome. Loud music at times. Owner/staff were enthusiastic and friendly, but it's really bad that they openly smoke in the back of the restaurant/kitchen area, so will not be returning. Erratic hours even though they now have set hours, so best call before hand.

Vegan corn soup was great. Tried 3 different vegan pizzas with some friends. Good, but definitely not enough topping. All 3 were drowned in the vegan cheese which hide the real favors of each. Would be nice to try the pizza again with no cheese and ask for extra toppings. Going to reserve full judgment until I try their brunch.

I've changed my rating from a 4 to 2 - they say they have vegan pizza, but there's some confusion about what's in the crust. The curry pizza is very taste, but sadly I'll not be visiting this place again unless they regain my confidence somehow.

Great if you want to dress up and have a fancy night out, but over priced and over rated. Sad to say I know, but people get all defensive about this public symbol of veganism in the bay area. I used to really love Millennium, but over the year’s subtle changes and higher prices, make it hard to justify spending $50+ a head. The yummy appetizer spread is no more, as well as the signature Napoleons and Millennium 'steak' entrees. Bottom line, the food is good but not as good as it used to be.

I want to like this place because others rave about it, but every time I've eaten here I've been disappointed by the dishes. Either to small or no taste. I'm sure I need to go with someone who knows the menu. Very friendly staff, and nice atmosphere.

This place has really grown on me. I much prefer it to the original UF and Herbs just down the block. No loud music or dining. Great atmosphere. Some of the portions may seem small compared to other restaurants, but everything is filling and probably one of the only true all ORGANIC and vegan places out there. Entrees on their own sometimes need a side dish or extra rice too. Also has great vegan desserts - Some home made and the more familiar Black China Bakery cakes.

Portions are super small for the price. I recently had the wasabi vegetable/rice bowl. It was almost all rice and for $6 a bit of a let down as most places charge $1-2 for a bowl of rice. This is almost boutique raw dining.

As a vegan I was pretty disappointed with the menu options. Service was excellent, but for about the same price Millenniums is far better and 100% vegan. Herbivores is also very close by and has a much better menu selection and much cheaper. This was their first week, so hopefully given time more vegan friendly menu options will be added.